


Hetalia Monday Challenge - July

by LukaTheSelkie



Series: Hetalia Monday Challenge 2020 [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25097944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LukaTheSelkie/pseuds/LukaTheSelkie
Summary: The prompts are given by @hetaliamondaychallenge on Tumblr, I'm just posting them here as well as there! This month, they added a quote option for the prompts, so you get to choose one or the other. I will be writing for the quotes, though feel free to hop on over to Tumblr for the other prompt for each Monday! And to help support other writers/artists/etc that are participating. Lots have been doing it longer than I have, and they deserve that recognition! These are the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th challenges this year. Yeah, I'm late, but again they added Q U O T E S. I'm a sucker for writing something based around a quote/that has the quote in it. And they say anyone can jump in at anytime, and they can even skip. I'm very excited to be jumping in for this month, and maybe more months in the fututre!
Relationships: Denmark & Sweden (Hetalia), Denmark/France (Hetalia), England/Sweden (Hetalia), France & South Italy (Hetalia), Germany & Prussia (Hetalia)
Series: Hetalia Monday Challenge 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883227
Kudos: 6





	1. "No matter where I go, my heart will always be yours." - SuEng

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the 14th challenge of the year, to be posted on Tumblr July 6th.

Berwald stares at the dock in front of him. He’s unsure when he got to the sea. And what sea is it, anyway? The last thing he remembers is fighting with Tino, and running. The reason he had run hits him like a ton of bricks. They had broken up. It had been coming for a while, as they had been falling out of love for years, but he had been trying to keep them together. The thought of finding someone else is terrifying to him.

He shakes it off as best he can, and focuses on listening to the people around him, in an attempt to figure out where he is. They’re all speaking English, with an accent he can’t quite pinpoint. Each person’s accent is slightly different, and some are difficult to interpret. Then, a flood of people descends from a ship that docks faster than any he’s ever seen. Someone yells out, “Pirates!” and the people around him start to scatter. That’s enough for him to figure out he’s in England. And Arthur isn’t going to be happy with him, if he learns of him being there. But he’s too close to the crew to run. They’re already upon him, trying to force him back to their ship. He fights as best he can to get free, and manages to knock a few off of himself, but with each one he pushes away, two more join. Eventually, they manage to drag him onto the ship, much to his displeasure.

“We’ve got a fighter, captain.” One of them drawls out. “We thought you might want to deal with him.” Berwald is thrown to the ground harshly. He doesn’t manage to catch himself, and his glasses slip off his face. He reaches for them quickly, but a gloved hand has hold of them before he can even touch them.

“Of course I’ll deal with him.” The voice starts in front of him, and by the time he’s done with the sentence, he’s behind him. The man ties his hands behind his back, making sure to be rough on him. He is yanked up, and shoved into a room. The chatter of the crew falls away, and he can tell they’re alone now, even though he can’t see well. “What are you doing in my country, _Berwald_?” His tone is condescending, but there’s a strange softness behind it. He doesn’t question it. He learned long ago not to.

“M’ deep’st ap’logies, Arth’r.” He bows his head. “T’no and I br’ke up. I h’d a m’ntal lapse and j’st ran. I c’me to h’re.” He hears a soft tongue click.

“I’m sorry to hear about your breakup.” Maybe Arthur can use this to his advantage? “But you are on my ship now. I won’t make you work as hard as the others, but you still need to work. I can’t have my crew thinking I’ve gone soft. Especially for someone so attractive.”

“You th’nk I’m attr’ctive?” Arthur scoffs lightly.

“That’s not what you were supposed to take out of that.” He unties Berwald, and hands him his glasses. “You will be my assistant. Anything I want, you have to do. We are docking somewhere in a week, but after that I will navigate us to Sweden so we can drop you off. I’m sure your family will miss you terribly by then.” The taller man grimaces.

“B’cause I w’nt M’thias t’ sm’ther me.” Arthur chuckles.

“It’ll be good for you! It will remind you that they love you, no matter what. That can be hard to remember.” His heart pangs with the thought of his own family. He shakes his head slightly, and sharpens his voice to a demanding tone. “I want you to make me some tea. Now!” Berwald hurries off to do as he’s told. Arthur decides having him to tease is going to be fun.

~

It started out small; a wink here and there, a compliment when Berwald seemed extra stuck in his head, jokingly offering to sleep in the same bed. But now Arthur finds himself thinking about kissing and cuddling and overall loving the Swede. He can tell he’s still completely crushed from the breakup with Tino, so he’s not about to reveal the feelings he may or may not have, but it hurts to think about holding it in forever. He’s never seen Berwald so clearly upset, and it makes him yearn to do something special for him. Something that can get his mind off the pain, if only for a moment. But time is running out. They’re due to dock in Sweden in the morning, and Arthur is locked in his room, thinking about how Berwald’s eyes shame the sky and the sea combined. And how soft his hair looks, even though they’ve been sailing without proper hygienic care for three months. And how warm he must be to cuddle, judging by the heat he radiates onto Arthur when they’re close to each other. He really needs to speak with Francis about how to express himself better.

“Captain?” There’s a knock at his door, and he’s startled out of his thoughts. “We should be docking in an hour. We got ahead of schedule. Why do you want to drop him off here, anyway?” Sorrow floods into the pit of his stomach. An hour. In an hour, Berwald will leave, and he has no idea when they’ll see each other again. He opens the door, sending a glare to the man that interrupted his thoughts.

“He is someone very important to the country of Sweden. We have to return him, or we risk being hunted. We cannot afford that. I am just thankful he was able to send a letter when we first docked, after forcing him aboard. Be glad he is forgiving, or we would all be drowned by now.” He narrows his eyes at him. “Understood?” A frantic nod. “Tell him to come here with my dinner as soon as he can. And inform the cook he will be eating with me, so there should be enough for two.”

“Yes Captain!” He disappears into the throng of his fellow crew members. Maybe fifteen minutes later, Berwald makes his way to him, face more expressionless than ever.

“H’ngry t’night?” Arthur shakes his head, and smiles at him. He opens the door so he can place the tray on the table inside.

“I thought we should eat together before you go. I hope it will take your mind off of what awaits, at least until you leave.” Berwald’s eyes fill with gratitude. So he is anxious about leaving. “Come, sit. We do not have much longer together.” He pulls out a chair for Berwald, hoping he’s not being too obvious about his feelings for him. Maybe he’ll just see it as being considerate.

“Tack,” he practically whispers, refusing to look at Arthur.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nej. I’m j’st… N’t ready t’ go b’ck y’t.” He sighs heavily. “I’ve n’t h’d to th’nk ab’t it s’nce I’ve been h’re.” Arthur furrows his brows slightly. He knows exactly what he’s talking about.

“I’m sure Tino has moved out by now. And, if not, here.” He slides a coin purse across the table to him. “This should buy you a month’s worth of board. Maybe a bit more, depending on where you go. No, don’t try to give it back. It’s yours now. It’s really not much. Think of it as a thank you for entertaining me for the time you’ve been here. Life was boring and repetitive before you came. I’m not looking forward to it returning to that. But you have to go home. You won’t heal until you face the problem head on.” Berwald gives him a tiny, incredibly rare, smile. It lights his face up in a blush, and he looks away quickly.

“Tack. Really. I w’n’t f’rget th’s. Or our t’me t’gether.” He bows his head and continues eating. Arthur notices the small bit of red on his cheeks, but doesn’t say anything. He’s too cute to risk it. He could hide it, after all. That would be a tragedy.

“Captain! We have docked!” Arthur groans internally. He doesn’t want Berwald to go. And, judging by how rigid he looks, he doesn’t want to go either. He reaches out and squeezes his arm.

“Face your fears head on. You’re a pirate now. And you used to be a Viking. You can do it. I believe in you.” He pauses for a response. When none comes, he stands slowly. “I’ll walk you out.” The chair scratches against the wooden floor as he pushes it back. At least he’s willing to come now. He opens the door, and shudders a bit when a cold gust of wind hits him. Berwald doesn’t seem affected by it. He walks out, and looks back at Arthur pleadingly. “I’m coming,” he mumbles, closing the door behind them. They walk to the side of the boat in silence. Just before Berwald places his foot on the boarding and unboarding area, Arthur clears his throat. “Here.” He shrugs off his coat and wraps it around the Swede’s shoulders. “It’s cold out here. You’ll need something to keep warm. I’ve got a cabin. You have to walk. J-just don’t get it dirty! I expect it to be returned to me the next time we see each other.”

Berwald smiles at him, and wraps his arms around him in a tight hug. He melts into the embrace, and takes in his scent. Somehow, he smells like coffee and cinnamon. He brings his arms up to hug him back, clinging on tightly. He has to mentally tell himself now is not the time to confess. They separate too soon, but he hides his discontent with a sad smile. “Tack. F’r ev’ryth’ng. I w’sh you w’ll tr’veling.” Berwald presses a warm kiss to his forehead, and hurries off the ship.

“No matter where I go, my heart will always be yours,” he murmurs to the stars, now sure of his feelings. What he doesn’t know is that Berwald hears him and clutches the coat around him tighter, despite not being cold. Maybe he _can_ move on from Tino. It smells like sea foam and tea.


	2. “But loving you had consequences.” (Prussia & Germany)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the 15th challenge of the year, to be posted on Tumblr July 13th. 1/2 I am writing for this quote.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanons: Germany was unaware of what Hitler was doing, but Prussia was very aware because he’s been burned at the stake and knows when someone is discriminating against a group because of it. Prussia was first sent to Poland after the Nuremberg Trials, then to Russia when the Berlin Wall was built. Russia was changed by his leaders, and tortured Prussia to get back at Germany.

Gilbert carefully lifts an old photograph from a box. It was taken a year after the first ever photograph came to exist. In it, he can see himself and a pre-teen Ludwig smiling brightly, not a care in the world. He can recall that day well. It’s the day Ludwig met his first dog, and very quickly came to love them. If he remembers correctly, there’s a tail at the edge of the photo. Ah, there it is! Right where little Ludwig is looking. He runs a finger over the frame, then places it back in the box lovingly. They did so much together back then.

He misses those days, if he is being honest with himself. Ludwig was so easy to pick up and run around with, playing keep away from the invisible monster. Now he’s large and struggles with expressing himself. Gilbert misses hearing him laugh. But he’s not heard that in so many years. Decades for certain, perhaps even a century. Maybe a bit more. He tugs out another photograph, and his chest tightens in pain. He’s getting closer to World War II. This one is right before the war that eventually turned into the first World War.

Ludwig is wearing shorts and a tank top and sitting on the edge of a pool, facing away from the camera. Gilbert is on a chair in the background, and he knows he had so much sunblock on he was nearly white. That had been a fun day. They had gone hiking to a beautiful waterfall early that morning, and Gilbert had nearly gotten heat stroke from it. Ludwig helped cool him down by dipping his shirt in the stream and placing it around his neck, then insisted they go to a pool. They used to help each other like that all the time. He grips the photo tighter, shaking his head. He wants to go back, but he knows he can’t. It would be selfish of him. Ludwig has so much now. A few tears land on the glass, and he wipes them away quickly. He puts it back, and takes a deep breath. There’s a few more he wants to look at.

This one is the most painful. They’re fighting, and Ludwig looks every bit of what Hitler wanted him to be. He was brainwashed. He couldn’t see that what his leader was doing was wrong. Gilbert saw right through it though; he’d been burned at the stake too many times not to. He tried informing his little brother before it was too late, but he wasn’t listening. That’s what resulted in the photographed argument. They hadn’t spoken again until after the Berlin Wall fell. Things just happened too fast after the war ended. He doesn’t bother wiping the tears from the frame as he puts it back.

The next one he pulls out is one he wasn’t there for, but can still feel the pain of. He had been with Feliks when he was informed he was being dissolved as a country. He wrote Ludwig a letter, and had it delivered to him. The photograph is of him sitting at his desk, reading the letter, tears in his eyes. It’s one of the few times Gilbert has ever seen a sober Ludwig show emotion. He’s glad he didn’t mess up raising him so much he’s completely emotionless, but he hates that he raised him to only show it in extreme circumstances. He wishes he could change that. But then he might not be the same person he is now. And he loves his current little brother very much. “But loving jou had consequences,” he whispers to the picture before putting it back in its place, surprised no tears landed on it while he was holding it.

The last one he withdraws still stings. It’s a photograph of them hugging, in a shapeless pile, just beside the destroyed Berlin Wall. He knows he’s a dirty, somewhat bloody mess in that moment of time. Ivan did so much to hurt him while Gilbert was there. He doesn’t blame him though. His ruler had changed him. And he wanted to harm Ludwig because of it. Sometimes Gilbert can still feel the after effects of his torture. He feels the focus areas stinging now, but he steadfastly ignores it. He stares at the picture a moment longer, before shoving it back into the box. He makes sure to put the box back where he found it, and leaves the room quietly.

He finds Ludwig, and gives him a big hug without saying anything. Surprisingly, he brings his arms up and returns the hug. “Vhat’s zis for?” Gilbert lets out a broken laugh. Oh if only he knew. He squeezes him a bit tighter, and closes his eyes.

“Ich liebe dich. Let’s go do somezing fun. Like ve used to. It’s been so long since ve did somezing for ze hell of it.” He can tell Ludwig is excited about that idea.

“Ja. I suppose ve could do zat. I just finished my papervork for ze day, after all.” Gilbert knows it’s a lie, but he’s appreciative of him setting it aside so they can do something. Maybe he needs to reach out more often. “Vould jou mind if ve go to ze waterfall jou took me to vhen ve vere younger?”

“Of course I vill.” He nuzzles him, then releases him. “Now go get ready! I vant to go already. It’s been entirely too long since ve did somezing peaceful togezer.”

“I agree. Let’s do zis more often. Ich liebe dich auch.” He leans down and kisses the top of his head, then goes to get ready. Gilbert hurries to get ready as well.


	3. "But loving you had consequences." (Denmark & Sweden)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the 15th challenge of the year, to be posted on Tumblr July 13th. 2/2 I am writing for this quote.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: ANGSTY.  
> Headcanon that Denmark hit the speech center of Sweden's brain the night he left the Kalmar Union, and that's what caused his impaired speech.

Mathias sighs miserably as he sits beside Berwald. He glances at him out of the corner of his eye, sorrow filling the pit of his stomach. They’re at a World Meeting, but his mind is far from focusing on the topic at hand. Instead, he’s thinking about the Swede next to him, and how much he’s hurt him. He never meant to. And he’ll never forgive himself for what he’s done. He just wanted them to be a family though!

He shakes his head slightly. That’s not an excuse. If anything, it’s another reason what he did was terrible judgment. He reaches out and takes Berwald’s hand, squeezing it lovingly. He's so used to Mathias randomly touching him, he doesn’t flinch, despite being absorbed in the meeting. He lays his head on his shoulder heavily, and mutters out, “I need to speak to du after this.” Well, more like tell him something and hope he won’t interrupt. Berwald nods in response. This relaxes his nerves enough to focus on what’s being said.

~

“Wh’t did du w’nt to t’lk about?” Berwald asks when they’re alone. Mathias gives him a small, awkward smile. It feels silly now, but he’s taking time out of his day to allow this conversation. And he’s looking at him without blame. He bows his head, and wipes at the tears suddenly threatening to fall.

“I don’t deserve du, Berry,” he mumbles into his hand. He takes a shaky breath, and lifts his head again. “Please, just listen. I know it’s not what I asked for, but I need to get this off my chest.” He closes his eyes tightly. “It’s about the Kalmar Union.” He feels Berwald stiffen, and take a small, involuntary step away from him. He doesn’t blame him. After what he did, he’s lucky the Swede trusts him enough to be in a room alone with him.

“I was selfish. I truly was. And I’m not asking for your forgiveness. Or any of the others’.” He runs a hand through his hair. “At the time, I thought it was for the better of all of us. Now I know that wasn’t the case, and du had every right to leave. I couldn’t get it through my thick head that du were uncomfortable. I had this image in mind, and I wasn’t seeing anything but what I wanted. That hurt all of us.” He opens his eyes, but doesn’t look at Berwald yet. “I wanted to be together as a family. I was so happy that was reality, I refused to see any and all distress that caused. It’s my fault I didn’t listen. I was just so caught up in loving all of you. But,” he chokes up.

“But loving du had consequences. Not only did I become negligent of your needs, but I also put du through so much pain. Unknowingly and knowingly. Can I… Can I touch…?” He brings his hand up, and Berwald flinches back slightly. Mathias’ bottom lip trembles, and he starts to cry. “I never meant to cause permanent damage. I never meant to make du fear my touch. I don’t expect du to forgive me. I won’t ever forgive myself. B-but I would like to try being a family again. In a healthy way this time. One week a month in the same house. We have freedom to leave if things get heated or overwhelming. I’ve already asked the others. You’re the last one that needs to agree. Don’t feel pressured to though! If du don’t like it, I can come up with something else. Another way to be a family, without having to-”

“Ja. I w’nt t’ try.” This takes Mathias off guard. He looks up at Berwald, and smiles brightly. The Swede shakes his head with a quiet, broken chuckle, and cups his cheeks. “St’p crying, w’n’t du?” He wipes away his tears gently. He can’t help but remind himself that so many are afraid of this giant teddy bear being near them. He wishes that were different. But maybe it’s a good thing it’s not. People tend to break what’s precious. “H’re.” He grabs Mathias’ wrist, and lifts his hand up to the left side of his head, just above his ear. He shouldn’t be touching here. He might damage it more. He’s already done more than enough to it.

“I regret this the most,” he whispers, new tears falling. “I didn’t mean to impair your speech. I don’t even know why I hit du there. Well, I do, but it was such a stupid reason. Why did I think trying to knock du out would keep du with me?” His throat closes up enough for him to choke up. Berwald patiently wipes his tears away again.

“Du weren’t th’nking straight,” he says simply. Mathias nods slowly, realizing he’s right.

“That doesn’t make what I did to du any better though.”

“M’ybe n’t. B’t du are able t’ adm’t it w’s wr’ng. Th’t’s good. Th’t means du h’ve ch’nged f’r the b’tter.” He gives him a small, shy smile, then kisses his forehead. Mathias sighs softly, and he’s not sure if it’s from content, exasperation, or a pressure lifting off of him. It’s possible it’s all three. “Jag älskar dig, Mathias.”

“Jeg elsker dig til, Berwald.” They pull away from each other slowly. There’s still a lot of healing to be had between the two of them, but he likes where they are now. It’s best not to rush these things.


	4. “It’s okay if you don’t like me. Not everyone has good taste.” (France & S. Italy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> College AU because I couldn’t come up with any good ideas within canon.  
> How Francis and Lovino became friends.

Francis quietly excuses himself from Gilbert and Antonio. He steps into the nearest restroom, and splashes a bit of water onto his face. He pats it dry cautiously, not wanting to ruin his hair. Today is one of the better hair days he’s had in a long while. He hears a scoff behind him, and opens his eyes to look at the man who did it in the mirror. It’s one of the Vargas brothers; he’s only met Feliciano (thanks to Gilbert), so he assumes this is the other. Lovino? He thinks that’s his name. “Some of us actually need the sink. Move along, pretty boy.” Francis frowns, but moves away from the sink. What’s his issue? He shrugs it off, and hurries to find his friends.

“Francis! What took you so long? Did you bump into a pretty girl?” Antonio wiggles his eyebrows at him. He rolls his eyes, shaking his head.

“Non. Though I did encounter-” Feliciano runs up to them, speaking as fast as humanly possible. Gilbert grins at him, and Antonio jabs the albino lightly.

“Oh, right! Sorry Feli, can jou pause for a moment? Francis vas saying somezing.”

“Sì, of course!” He looks at Francis expectantly.

“Merci. Actually, I ran into your brother. He’s a bit…” He shakes his head. “He’s interesting.”

“Was he rude to you? I’m sorry for him. He’s a bit moody. I’ll talk to him. Maybe I can properly introduce you! I hope you can get along. If I’m being honest, he needs more friends. You three would be amazing! If you don’t mind?”

“Ve don’t mind at all!” Gilbert hurries to answer.

“Okay! I’ll do my best to convince him to meet you!” And with that, the conversation shifts. Francis stares off into the distance, thinking about meeting Lovino.

~

“You stupid machine!” There’s a loud bang down the hall from Francis. He recognizes the voice, and walks toward it cautiously. “Give me my food!” There’s another bang. “Or my money back!” Francis peeks around the corner just in time to watch Lovino slam against a vending machine. So that’s the source of the bangs.

“Would you like some help, beau?” Lovino turns and glares at him. He crosses his arms over his chest.

“What do you want?” He narrows his eyes at Francis.

“I just told you. I would like to help.” He steps in front of the machine, and examines it. He quickly figures out buying another of the stuck item will fix it, so he does just that. “Here.” He pulls both of them out, and hands them to Lovino. He opens his mouth to say something, but Francis cuts him off. “Consider it a gift.” He hurries to class, not wanting to be late. Lovino yells after him, but he ignores it.

When class is finished, he catches up with Gilbert and Antonio. Gil grins at him, and tosses an arm around his shoulder. “Feli says you pissed off his brother. How’d you do that? I want to know what not to do when he introduces us in a few minutes.” Antonio laughs.

“I would like to know as well. Tell us!” Francis rolls his eyes.

“I didn’t do much! I just helped him get something loose from a vending machine. I had to buy another to do it. I didn’t really want it so I let him keep it. As a gift.” Gilbert pulls him closer, laughing heartily.

“Nein vonder!” Francis pulls away from him gently. “Vhere are jou going? Come back!”

“Non! You were going to make fun of me!” He chuckles, and wraps an arm around Gilbert’s waist. “I forgive you though.”   
“Jou better! Ve’re best friends!” Gilbert grins at him. “Und here zey come now.” Francis releases his friend, and gives his best smile toward the brothers. Lovino sneers at him, turning his head away.

“Lovi! That’s not nice! Let me introduce you! These are my friends. Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis.” He points at the corresponding one as he says their name.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he says through gritted teeth. He sends a harsh glare at Francis that says ‘I don’t like you.’

“It’s okay if you don’t like me. Not everyone has good taste.” He winks at Lovino, whose face turns red in response to his words. He’s not sure if it’s from embarrassment or anger.

“I do so have good taste! If you’re such good taste, then let’s be friends,” he huffs out, crossing his arms across his chest.

“What a wonderful idea!” His plan worked, thankfully. Hopefully this is the start of a fabulous friendship.


	5. “I’m so sick of lying. I have to tell you…” DenFra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first I had no idea what pairing I would do, then my pairing actually changed about 200 words in, and, well... It became angsty at that point. Then it got out of hand and became about 800-1000 words longer than I had planned. Oops?  
> Warnings: Bar, alcohol, one “bad” word (it’s dick)  
> Human AU

"Mathias!" Gilbert runs up to him excitedly. He tries to stop, but can't because of the speed he built up, and throws his arm out. He manages to drag the Dane down to the ground with him as he falls, both laughing. They get a few looks from the bar patrons, but overall their tumble goes ignored. Gilbert sits up, smoothing his hair down quickly. "Mathias! Zere's a really pretty woman over zere! I'm going to flirt vith her, und jou can't beat me to her!" He hops up and makes his way toward the woman, walking suavely. The Dane's smile drops, and he sighs heavily as he watches his friend make his move. He looks away and pushes himself up off the floor when she appears to flirt back.

He trudges over to the stools by the bar, and plops down in one. He stares ahead miserably, heart aching. "Alright. Who broke your heart?" He jumps at the voice, then frowns down at the counter. "If I had any doubts before, they're gone now. Want to talk about it?" He jerks his head up to glare at the man, but finds himself holding back his shock. The man is absolutely stunning. "You'll catch flies, mon cher." There's a soft tap to his chin, and he closes his mouth, completely embarrassed. He turns his head away, cheeks flushed. The stranger chuckles. "I don't normally do this, but you're too adorable. Have a drink on me." Mathias swivels his head around.

"You don't have to-"

"Nonsense. I want to. Besides, it might help get your mind off the person that broke your heart. Oh, I do hate seeing that pitiful expression on anyone's face. Especially someone so cute." He winks at him, before turning to get him a drink. When he puts down a beer, Mathias stares at him in awe. "What's your name?" He tilts his head slightly at the question. Name? Oh! Right! His name!

"My name is Mathias!" He says too quickly. "What's yours?" The man smirks playfully.

"Francis. Now, I have other orders to tend to, but perhaps we can converse at a later date? Over some coffee?" He nods eagerly, watching the beautiful man scribble something onto a napkin before hurrying to the other side of the bar. It isn't until ten minutes later that he realizes he just agreed to a date. He glances around the room quickly, searching for Gilbert. Luckily (or unluckily) for him, Gilbert is parting the crowd, making a straight line toward him, beautiful woman in tow. His stomach drops to the ground again, and he remembers why Francis spoke to him in the first place. His stupid crush on his best friend.

"Ve're going out~! Don't vait up. Und don't vait here, eizer. Go home vhen jou're done. I'll pay for jour drinks! Zanks for letting me bring jou out tonight." And with that, they're gone. _He's_ gone. Mathias downs his fresh beer and lays his head on the counter miserably. He closes his eyes, just for a moment, allowing himself to wallow in his sorrow.

~

"Hey. Wake up. Please." Mathias drifts into a drowsy state of awakeness, but keeps his eyes closed. Someone's running their fingers through his hair; he imagines it's Gilbert, though he knows it's not. "Mathias. Please. It's closing time." He opens his eyes with a groan. He lifts his head up, closing his eyes again at the bright lights. "You poor thing. How much did you drink? I'm sure you have a hell of a hangover. Alright. You can stay here while I clean up, then I'm taking you home with me. Lay your head back down." He does as he's told without arguing. Some time passes, though he's not sure how much. He feels a hand on his shoulder, and he looks up again. Thankfully, the lights are out now. "Come on. I can't leave you here, and I would like to go home." He stands slowly, and wobbles a bit. A hand presses into the small of his back, enabling him to steady himself a bit. He shuffles forward, letting the person guide him. He's almost certain it's Francis, so he's not worried about being kidnapped.

"You're familiar," he mumbles out, leaning into him. He wants to place where he's seen him before. Stunning white hair and beautiful pale skin comes to mind. "Gil," he whines loudly. "You know Gilbert." They stop, but only for a second.

"Oui, I do. He was here tonight. He told me he was with a close friend. I didn't know that was you." Mathias scoffs harshly.

"I wish it weren't!" Okay, maybe he's still a bit drunk. He's not usually truthful about... this.

"Why is that?" A heavy silence falls over them. He doesn't want to answer. It feels too selfish. They make it outside, and Francis leads him to his vehicle. He opens the passenger side door, helps him in and buckles him, all in the awkward silence. Mathias turns his head to watch him get in the driver's side, and decides he should say something.

"He's the one that broke my heart," he whispers out. Francis freezes for a long moment, then looks at him, an unspoken question in his eyes. _How?_ "I've got this stupid crush on him. It's not even because I have feelings for him. That would be better than this. At least then I would be able to tell him. But telling him 'Hey, I like how you look, you're absolutely beautiful, and I have feelings for that appearance. Not your personality because I only see that as my friend, but I'm absolutely in love with your body.' would be beyond insane!" He trembles, and forces himself to take a deep breath. "He likes women anyway. And even if he likes men too, I don't want a relationship with him. We're perfect as friends. I don't think anything more would be good for us. We're at our best as friends." He closes his eyes yet again. "Just... Take me home with you. Please. I don't want to think about this anymore. I want to sleep off this hangover."

"I can let you do that. But you really should tell Gilbert about your attraction to his appearance. Maybe not everything you told me, but something." Mathias glares daggers at him. "It's just a well-meant suggestion." He starts the vehicle, and pulls out of the space. The Dane turns on some music for background noise as they ride. He's leaning against the window, half asleep, when the vehicle stops. He stumbles out of the seat quickly, and is met by Francis grabbing him by the waist. "You are hurting. Let me help." He doesn't protests as he leads him inside. He only takes note of how soft the couch is before his eyes are closed for the final time that night.

~

Mathias sits up in a rush. He looks around the room frantically, heart beating fast. He had dreamed about... He flushes crimson at the fleeting images quickly leaving his mind's eye. Of course his subconscious has to tell him everything. He pushes the blanket off of him, furrowing his brows. Francis must have put it over him after he fell asleep. Where is Francis, anyway? It smells good in here, so he assumes he's making breakfast. He follows his nose to the food, and smiles when he sees the man in the kitchen. He's only wearing short shorts, and an apron. He's not sure if it's sleep or his dream, but he feels the need to say something. So, he does. "I didn't know I would get a treat before breakfast." He whirls around quickly. Mathias can't help but feel pride in his slightly pink cheeks.

"I didn't hear you come in! You scared me." He gives a soft, shy smile. "You really think seeing me like this is a treat?" He nods eagerly.

"Oh ja. You are very alluring. Both your personality and your body." Francis raises a brow, and steps toward Mathias. He doesn't stop until he's right in front of him. Before he can say anything, the Dane blurts out, "Please kiss me."

"Gladly." He presses their lips together gently. It's a positively marvelous kiss.

~

"Mathias? Jou're here!" Gilbert grins at him. "Jou're really here! Vhere have jou been? Ve haven't spoken in five months. Did I do somezing vrong?" He shakes his head slowly.

"Nej, nothing like that. I had to think." The albino's brows furrow.

"Are jou okay?"

"That's not important. Francis and I are together. We have been since we last saw each other. He wanted me to tell you when I was ready. Don't get upset at him for not telling you. I asked him not to. He agreed it was best for me to wait to be ready."

"Vhat's vrong? Jou sound drained." Mathias sighs heavily.

"I am. I’m so sick of lying. I have to tell you... I stopped hanging out with you for my own good. I'm mostly over it now, but I used to be attracted to you. I didn't want to date, but I couldn't deny your beauty. Again, I'm mostly over it now, but it was only fair you know why I've been gone." A thick silence falls over them. It stretches out for a minute, then two. By the fifth minute, Mathias turns to leave, having told him what he needed to.

"Vait! I'm glad jou told me. I zought I had done somezing horrible. Jou know jou could have told me, right? I vould have done everyzing I could to make myself less attractive!" He laughs, and wraps his arms around Mathias tightly. "I'm glad I didn't lose jou as a friend. Und I'm glad jou met someone to be vith! Vhen's ze vedding?" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Mathias turns crimson, and pulls away from him.

"Not for a long time!" Gilbert smiles fondly.

"I know. But seriously, I hope jou have found ze ein. I'm rooting for jou two! Now go be vith him." He shoves him toward the waiting vehicle gently. Mathias is almost certain he recognized it, and that's why he's letting him go so soon after their re-connection. He hurries to the vehicle, and hops in. He sighs in relief the moment he's buckled, and Francis chuckles.

"How did it go, amour?" He starts driving.

"Much better than I thought." He feels his phone vibrate. It's a message from Gilbert. **Get some dick!** It reads. He groans, and puts his phone away without replying.

"Things are exactly how they used to be between you two, aren't they?" He nods with a joking huff. "Good. I knew they would be. Now, how does a picnic date sound?"

"You spoil me. That sounds perfect, and so wonderfully you." He glances at his boyfriend, watching the smile play at his lips and flush travel up to his ears. He's completely in love with Francis, and he's positive his feelings are reciprocated.


End file.
